1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hinge assembly, and more particularly, to a hinge with self-lubricated rotably mounted sleeve with a sleeved roller assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many designs for hinge assembly have been designed in the past. None of them, however, include a self-lubricated sleeve that facilitates the movement of the hinge leaves with reduced levels of noise and uniformly restricted movement of the hinge leaf assemblies. The roller assemblies have the same problems. The present invention solves the noise problem and also keeps the push nut fasteners at predetermined distance consistently. This avoids irregular and forceful lateral movements of the rollers within the hinge assembly.
Applicant believes that the closest reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,193 issued to Rommelfaenger et al. on Oct. 23, 1990 for a hinge including two leaves with inter-engaging knuckles. The Rommelfaenger's patented hinge has a plastic coated metal hinge pin that extends through the knuckles and the knuckles are crimped onto the plastic coated hinge pin. In the Rommelfaenger's patent, the tighter the knuckles grip the pin, the greater will be the torque required to operate the hinge. However, it differs from the present invention because the Rommelfaenger's patented invention includes a plastic coating intended to provide more friction while the present invention includes a plastic self-lubricated rotably mounted sleeve intended to provide practically no friction and substantially noiseless. The more lax specifications of some hinges (garage door hinges) do not require a tight engagement of the central pin and the knuckles.
Applicant believes that another related reference corresponds to French patent No. 2,623,553 issued to Boismain on May 26, 1989 for a hinge with lateral engagement for a leaf and the like. Boismain's patented hinge includes a strip (33) made of self-lubricating material intended for easily engaging and removing the leaves by a horizontal movement. However, the disposition of the loop (21) against shoulder (7) causes metal friction and therefore noisy movement of the hinge.
Lastly, another related reference is Allen Berger's U.S. Pat. No. 6,718,595 for a hinge assembly with self-lubricated pin. However, this patent also fails to disclose the use of a self-lubricated sleeve positioned between the supporting members at the roller shaft and with a predetermined length that cooperatively acts as a stopper to keep a push nut fastener at the same length as with other roller assemblies on the same door installation.
For garage door applications there is no need for tight tolerances for the knuckles, which makes them more expensive. It is nevertheless desirable to have a noiseless hinge, even for garage doors.
Other patents describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention.